I will be starting work in Sydney out of Dr Van Park’s practice in the Eastern Suburbs, commencing late 2023.

This practice is a boutique cosmetic practice, hence for the time being, I can only see suitable patients (based upon equipment levels & operating room availability). You may get an appointment to see me, via an application process. Conditions I will treat in Sydney include-

• Skin rejuvenation
• Melasma & pigment
• Rosacea management
• Injectables; collagen stimulating, anti-wrinkles, dermal fillers
• Non-surgical acne scar revision

Virtual consultations fees are $490. This covers a report that will be sent out to you before a Zoom meeting.

Laser resurfacing is more affordable than you think. As a guide, my team performs level 1 to 4 resurfacing. 95% of cases fall into this category. I perform level 5 resurfacing, generally reserved for severe sun damage, wrinkles, & photoaging.

Level 1 Resurfacing $460 per treatment (Clear & Brilliant)

Level 2 Resurfacing $990 per treatment (Fraxel- LaseMD)

Level 3 Resurfacing $1,290 per treatment (HD Fraxel – LaseMD)

Level 4 Resurfacing $1,990 per treatment (CO2 fractional laser +/- Thulium laser, nurses)

Level 5 Resurfacing $7,990 +++ per treatment (CO2 fully ablative / erbium; Davin Lim)

Treating pigmentation is more cost effective than you think. Simple nano or dermal toning laser treatments start at $140 per session. Pico lasers are especially good for ethnic skin types. They start at $390 for a few spots.

The majority of treatments are conducted by my laser nurses. My skill sets are reserved for the management of more complex cases including birthmarks (Hori, Ito, Ota lesions), dermal melanocytosis spectrum, dermal melasma, & other unusual cases. Most treatments I perform carry a Medicare rebate.

Peels are super affordable & start at $110 AUD. This includes salicylic, lactic, glycolic, AHA, mandelic & retinoic acid peels.

• TCA CROSS & Paint: $490+ by my nursing team.
• TCA Jessner: $3,990 upwards by myself

My fees for injectables are as follows-

• Muscle relaxing injections: $20 per unit
• Dermal fillers with Hyaluronic acid: $1290 per syringe, discount of 12% for multiple syringes on the day
• Dermal filler with collagen stimulating fillers: $1490 per syringe

My nurses fees are typically half that of my fees.

I wear two hats, one as an aesthetic dermatologist & the other as a procedural dermatologist. Medicare gives a rebate (partial rebate) for the following conditions-

• Acne scars- seen at conversational distances & beyond that can not be covered up with makeup.
• Rosacea & red marks with vessels visible at 3 meters & beyond.
• Birthmarks.
• Surgical, Traumatic & Burn scars.
• Rhinophyma
• Significant sun damage (precancer)
• Precancer or cancer lesions (including lip resurfacing)
• Lumps and bumps including angiofibromas, syringomas (not warts or age spots)
• Hyperhidrosis injections for underarm sweating
• Hypertrophic & keloid scar injections

Medicare was conceived during the era of White Australia, hence it is biased towards procedures that affect fairer skin types. An example is the management of rosacea with vessels at 3 meter or beyond. Pigmentation however, is more common in ethnic skin. Medicare does not cover any treatments for pigmentation such as melasma.

Additionally lasers deemed safe for darker skin types such as fractional lasers are not covered under Medicare, whilst lasers suitable for lighter skin types (fully ablative lasers) are partially covered. In summary, Medicare does not cover-

• Objective mild scarring
• Redness with no vessels (less than 3 meters)
• Fractional laser resurfacing (of any sort)
• Pigment treatments such as melasma, post inflammatory hyperpigmentation
• Anti Wrinkle injections, dermal fillers
• Lasers for non-cancerous spots, pigmentation & wrinkles

I will do my best to ensure all patients can be treated in a cost effective & timely manner. My nurses offer an excellent service, on many occasions on par with my skill sets. They can treat acne, acne scars, redness, rosacea & pigmentation including melasma & post inflammatory skin hyperpigmentation. Their fees ensure that costs are kept to a minimum.

The second option for treatments at a discounted price is to be part of a training day demonstration. These events are designed to teach other doctors & clinicians.

The third option is for treatment at a public hospital. This is what public hospitals are designed for, namely a free service for the management of birthmarks, burns, keloids, skin cancer & other skin conditions. A referral from your GP to the hospital will give you the best & earliest chance of an appointment.

There are three common factors that affect the price of a dermatology appointment. Your geographic location, the specialties of the dermatologist, and your own condition will influence the cost.

Location: Dermatologists consider the area they practice in when determining how much they should charge: the cost of living, economic conditions, location of patient base, price of rental, & price of establishment. The geographical (country) is probably the most important factor, first world dermatology, in general are more expensive than third world countries. This does not mean that dermatologists are better clinicians in first world nations.

Specialties: You can also expect that a dermatologist will charge more if they specialize in procedural dermatology. This is due to the fact that procedures are associated with the costs of lasers, theater space, nursing help, consumables & all the small things that add up- sterilization of equipment, wound dressings, sutures, & medications. I make it a point to upgrade every single laser device when a new model comes up. This means we are getting a new device of some sort every 8 to 10 weeks.

Your condition: Some conditions are really easy to treat, for example if you have broken capillaries or a sun spot. My nurses can effectively & cost effective treat within a session of two. On the other hand, severe acne scars may take me 12 months or longer to treat. In most cases, Medicare does help out, especially for severe medical conditions.

Skin care from a dermatology clinic should be accessible for everyone, even if you do not have access to Medicare. Here are some tips on how to choose a dermatology clinic on a limited budget:

• Do some research: Visit some dermatologist or clinics in your area. You may get a feel as to their intentions & how they provide their services. Some clinics do a hard sell. Unlike some Brisbane skin based clinics we do not have sales targets, hence we provide ethical advice based upon your diagnosis & goals.
• Consider nurse led clinics. In many cases nurses can provide the same standard of practice as dermatologists at a fraction of the cost.

Visit a dermatology clinic that has a list of low-cost services and free clinical assessment. Compare, & choose a provider you are comfortable with.